


Dead Flowers

by TheFlowersTeeth



Category: Devilman (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Canon-Typical Violence, Crybabyverse, Demons, Falling In Love, Fanon, Fictional Religion & Theology, Fix-It, Hell, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Post-Canon, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Content, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-03 13:07:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13341882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFlowersTeeth/pseuds/TheFlowersTeeth
Summary: After the events of the apocalypse, Akira wakes up in Hell with no demon power.  He finds allies who say they can help him regain Amon's strength, but he also finds enemies, and learns the horrible truth of being damned.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my "fix it" fic for Crybaby. I am using both canon and fanon to describe some characters, and using AU from Violence Jack and Mao Dante, which is not necessarily canon to Devilman but it's my story so whatever.
> 
> Follow me at theflowersteeth.tumblr.com for more updates

“Lust.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Akira scratched the back of his head, “A demon that looks like  _ that _ controls lust?”

Ryo turned the page and chuckled, “It’s just a depiction Akira. No human has ever seen Asmodeus.”

“He’s a demon. We see demons all the time. Maybe I killed him already and we don’t even know it.”

Ryo laughed louder, “He’s an archdemon. They’re different.”

“Archdemon?” Akira took a swig from the soda can and shifted so he was leaning back into the sofa, “Like an archangel?”

“Exactly. The archdemons are the warlords of hell, just as the archangels lead the army of heaven.”

Akira eyed Ryo carefully, slightly unsettled as usual by the blond’s bizarre knowledge, and he sighed. “Where’s your secretary?”

Ryo continued flipping through the book, examining the illustrations thoughtfully, “It’s one in the morning to probably asleep. Why?”

“I wanted to talk to you about something and I didn’t want her to hear.”

Ryo looked at him suspiciously, but he closed the book and placed it back down on the coffee table next to his laptop, and he turned to face his friend. Akira was silent for awhile, and Ryo’s anticipation grew as he waited patiently for whatever Akira wanted to say to him.

“It’s about Miki.”

Ryo’s brow furrowed, “Oh.”

“I think I might be into her.”

Turning away to hide the redness growing in his cheeks, Ryo looked down at the floor, “I see.”

“It’s weird,” Akira continued, brushing the hair out of his eyes, “I’ve lived with her for ten years and I haven’t felt anything for her before. But now I want to fuck her and I don’t know why.”

Ryo cleared his now dry throat, “You’re a man. She’s a woman.” He forced a smile. “It’s normal.”

“But she’s like a sister to me.” Akira protested. 

“Sometimes feelings can grow from nothing, especially at your age. Unless you start getting violent I wouldn’t worry about it.”

The brunette bolted forward, “I’d never hurt Miki.”

Ryo grinned, “Of course not. Forgive me.”

Shrugging, Akira leaned back into the sofa again, “And anyway it doesn’t matter, she doesn’t want me.”

There was a split second when Akira’s abdomen was visible under his shirt, and it caught Ryo’s eye, but he ignored it. “You don’t know how she feels. A lot of women like you, Akira.”

“True.” He said matter-of-factly. “Besides, I can have any one I want.”

“Then why don’t you?”

Akira looked at him again, “What?”

“Why don’t you get a woman for yourself?”

His eyes widened, a little red appearing in his cheeks, “I don’t know. I guess it’s pointless.”

“Pointless?”

“Dealing with women. None of them want to just have fun, they all want to be girlfriends, and I don’t need a girlfriend right now.”

Ryo contemplated his words. It was amusing to say the least imagining Akira flirting with a common schoolgirl. “Perhaps you’re not ready.”

“...Maybe.” Akira admitted, gazing down at his hands. Suddenly he burst off the sofa, “Oh that’s right!”

“What?”

“I forgot to give you this.” He reached over to grab his book bag and unzipped the pouch, digging inside for a few seconds before he pulled out a small white box. Akira smiled as he handed the box to Ryo, who reluctantly took it from him and opened the lid. 

Flowers. Withered roses to be specific. For a few seconds he was puzzled, “They’re dead.”

“It’s a good luck charm.”

Ryo leaned in and curiously sniffed the roses, “Where did you get this?”

“This guy at the airport was selling them.”

“Akira…”

“It’s legit! I promise.”

Ryo forced another weary smile.

~*~

Fire. Rain. Explosions and mass panic. There was no escape from the chaos that plagued humanity. If they weren’t killing each other, nature was finishing them off.

It was genocide. Madness. And nothing could stop it.

Then there was darkness, and he was alone, until the faint wail of screams woke him.

His eyes popped open to the sound, and with a quick scramble Akira bolted upright from the dirt where he’d been lying. He frantically looked around, breathing hard, his sight slowly adjusting to the darkness that surrounded him. Hesitantly he stood up, despite his legs refusing to work properly, and the chill of the air wrapped around his naked body.

There was another scream and his head swiveled in it’s direction. Akira followed the sound, wobbling weakly along hard rocks and moving past stone he could barely see in the direction of the orange light. It was as stunning as a sunset, but the fetid scent of rot in the air didn’t get his hopes up for what he might see in the distance. Carefully he moved into the clearing, and his eyes widened. Human bodies littered the ground for a mile out, all of them stained with blood and sinew, their innards carelessly spilled out on the dirt. The stench of death was unbearable, like something out of a nightmare, and he covered his mouth with his hand. He almost gagged, but swallowed back the sickness and shut his eyes tight. Riddled with fear, Akira focused, attempting to transform into the demon and escape whatever hell he was in.

But he couldn’t.

He tried again, and again, and again until he was doubled over and sweating from exertion. Hissing with anger, Akira stepped into the quarry and looked for the quickest escape route towards the only light he could see, and he waded through the pools of blood to get to the path. Carefully avoiding the gore, he peered through the rocks and tensed with fear at what he saw. A massive beast, something close to a wolf covered in jet black, blood soaked fur, was tearing what remained of a woman to shreds. The thing had three heads, and each one was pulling another limb from her torso.

There was means of escape behind the creature, and Akira figured if he was careful he could sneak past it while it was busy with the girl. Hesitantly, he stepped out and silently walked behind it as the woman’s screams became gurgles and groans. Halfway to the passage, the wolf’s jaws clamped on her head and bit down, finally silencing her, but Akira was already through the rocks before the beast could recognize the noise.

Then he was running. To where he didn’t know, but he was determined to find something he recognized. Panic struck him quickly as he tried to remember what had happened. Satan. He was fighting the divine angel Satan, the boy who was once his best friend, and he was losing badly. And then...he died? I remembered the pain of being sliced in two and everything going black until his eyes finally reopened again to this wasteland, still in one piece but now somehow unable to channel his demon power. The thought shook him to his core.

Heart pounding with fear, Akira leaned against a large boulder and shut his eyes tight, trying to gather himself. But the sound of quick footsteps on the dirt startled him back to reality, and his head spun around to see a shadowy figure approaching fast. It looked like a man running at full speed at him, and it was suddenly shrieking. Akira tensed at the chilling sound, and he backed up against the boulder as the man fell face first into the dirt, blood splashing into a wave in front of him.

Akira had no time to even react to the violence before a massive creature landed on the man’s back, thick clawed bestial feet holding him down and enormous razor sharp fangs grinning wildly. Akira was only a foot away from the demon, his breath hitched and eyes bulging with terror, and the demon turned. Without any way to transform, he was vulnerable again, and as the thing approached with its blood drenched snout raised curiously, Akira felt a fear he hadn’t known in a long time.   
Just as the demon was about to lunge a flash blinded both of them. Akira stumbled backwards as a golden spear fell from the sky and slammed the creature’s head down into the dirt, impaling it’s skull with a loud crack. Akira blinked away the white spots and he looked up.

A bright ball of light exploded above him, and what appeared to be a golden haired angel descended from the sky. Her legs dangled elegantly through a silk blue robe, and her arms and feets were plated in iron. She was beautiful, and for a few seconds Akira forgot about everything that troubled him as he caught her stunning silver eyes. He stumbled to his knees.

The angel dropped down and ripped the spear from the demon’s back and shook the blood from the blade, “Come with me Akira Fudo.” She said. “I will take you to Dante.”


	2. The Castle In The Mountains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for rape at the end of this chapter.

It didn’t feel dignified being carried naked in the arms of an angel, but Akira wasn’t complaining now that he was off the ground. The beautiful creature was blasting shards of light at demons, effortlessly slaughtering all that stood in their path while holding the human tightly in her arms. She surrounded them both with a bright ball of energy, something Akira guessed was a shield.

The land was more barren and destroyed than he could have imagined, topped with black stone and a rotted smell that overpowered his senses. Random bodies of the dead littered the ground, most likely killed by demons, and Akira wondered how easily that could have been him if it hadn’t been for the woman’s aide. He kept stealing glances at her face, admiring her soft grace and beauty, yet he almost feared the determined strength in her eyes.

The air was getting colder, and Akira took his gaze off of her and looked out into the distance. They were approaching a massive black mountain beyond a long rip in the ground that exploded with fire.

“Cover your ears.” The angel ordered, and without a question Akira did so, placing his hands over his ears. She opened her mouth and let out a loud and lingering shriek. A reddish vortex exploded at the bottom of the mountain, and Akira’s eyes widened with curiosity as the angel gripped him and soared straight into the light. The energy was soft and warm, and for a split second he felt as if he were dreaming just as she carried him through to the other side. Akira took a look at his new surroundings.

They were floating inside what seemed to be a fortress, seeing as there were no windows, only stone and metal covering the massive walls. Gently she carried them all the way down to the floor, and Akira stepped down from her arms. A few moments of stunned silence went by before he finally asked, “Where am I?”

“Skull Castle.” She answered.

Akira shook his head, “No. I mean...this. All of this. Where am I? Who are you?”

“I am Nike, demon of the artillery.” She stated flatly, as if she were a soldier at roll call. “I was sent to find you and bring you back to the castle.” Her expression darkened. “You are in hell, Akira Fudo.”

His eyes widened and welled with tears, and a heaviness formed in the pit of his stomach that made him suddenly too nauseous to stand up straight. He wobbled, and Nike reached out to take hold of him.

“It’s alright.” She whispered soothingly. “You’re safe now.”

He stubbornly wiped the tears away, “Safe? I’m dead and I can’t become a devilman, how am I safe?!”   
“Pipe down.” Came a voice from behind, and Akira’s head turned to see a man standing at the front of a long stone corridor. “I can’t stand the wailing of hysterical humans, so control yourself.”

Akira blinked. The man was tall with light brown hair and was surprisingly handsome considering how striking the lethargy in his eyes made him appear older. In his arm he was carrying what looked like clothing. “Who--?”

“Get dressed.” He ordered, tossing the clothes at Akira, who staggered to catch them. Akira took a few seconds to process what was happening before he began to quickly dress himself, although his mind was racing with questions, he figured the best thing to do would be to just do as he was told and not argue.

“Who are you?” He asked.

The man approached him, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing the teenager with suspicion, “My name is Dante. I’m a human, just like you.” He shrugged. “At least I am now--I use to be a devilman.”

Akira pulled the shirt down his waist, “Use to be?”

“Same problem you’re having. You see when a devilman dies and is damned to hell, their demon is tossed in limbo and they can’t channel the power anymore.”

Akira felt another crash of sadness hit him.

“But,” Dante continued, “There is a way to find it again.” He was halfway pulling his pants up when he froze and looked up at Dante, confusion and hope written all over his face, and Dante nodded. “It’s why I brought you here. I need you to help me get to Limbo’s Gate. There we can regain our demons.”

Akira had even more questions, and his mind was swarming with how to ask them. “Wait, slow down. What are you talking about? What’s Limbo’s Gate?”

The man sighed, “Limbo’s Gate, the portal that separates demons from the realms of hell and earth, located in the ninth circle. Satan’s fortress.” Akira was still pitifully lost, but he continued listening anyway. “Only you can help me enter the fortress. There, we can get our power back.”

It felt like his brain was short circuiting, and Akira stared at Dante in complete confusion, but realizing this was hell and things would probably continue to get weird, he decided to go along with the tall tale. “Why me?” 

“You still have fragments of Amon in you. As one of hell’s princes, Amon had the physical ability to enter Satan’s domain. My demon never could.”

Akira’s eyes shined with wonder, “Hell’s prince?”

Dante smiled, “You don’t know much do you, kid? No matter. Just do as I tell you and you’ll be alright.”

“But I can’t be out there. I’m just human now--so are you. How do we get to the the fortress without being attacked?”

“Nike will accompany us. Her power is unmatched against mere demonkind.”

Feeling a new rush of determination, Akira straightened up and clenched his hand into a fist, “Alright fine. Then let’s go.”

He smirked, “Not now. The Slum King has already returned to the fortress and is guarding it. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow, when he goes out to hunt.”

Akira cocked his head, puzzled, “Who?”

Sighing, Dante turned heel and began walking down the corridor, “Follow me.”

He caught up to Dante quickly, the demon Nike right behind him, and they walked down the hallway with urgency into another large room. The one had random weapons on the walls, mostly swords and shields, and in the middle was a large wooden table with what looked like a map on it. Akira glanced down at the map and he swallowed nervously. “What is this?” He asked. 

“Hell. All of it.” Dante answered, his ancient eyes scanning the structures on the sheet. With a flick of his wrist, Dante pointed at the corner of the map at a group of drawn mountains, “This is where we are. My domain exists here in the third level of hell. At the center,” His finger dragged across the paper to the center where a picture of a large castle was etched, “is the ninth circle. Satan’s castle.”

“Satan.” Akira felt nauseous again, not yet ready to see the boy who had betrayed him and all humanity just yet. “Is he there?”

“No.” He said flatly. “Satan has gone missing. The Slum King occupies his home now.”

“And who’s that?”

“A sadistic beast. He appeared some time ago--almost twenty years--ever since Satan disappeared, and has grown in power. He now commands an army of demons that defy Satan.”

Akira shuddered in fear, but he tried not to show it, “And we’re going into his castle? Wouldn’t there be guards?”

Dante shook his head, “Only the King can occupy the castle. No lesser demon can venture inside it’s halls without being killed by the energy inside.”

“But I can?”

“Yes.” He grinned brightly. “Your soul is still tainted with Amon’s mark. That should give you enough to get inside and get to Limbo’s Gate before the King returns.”

Akira focused on the picture of the castle at the center and considered his options. He had none. The only one he seemed to trust right now was the angel at his back, but this crazy man was beginning to make sense. After all, this was hell, and no amount of trying to rationalize it would work.

“Okay.” He said. “I’ll do it.”

~*~

Akira couldn’t believe that sleep actually existed in hell. He thought that was just another part of the process of damnation. He also never expected hell to have furnished bedrooms in castles, but he was already having a pretty odd day anyway, so he decided to ignore it. The bed was quite large, and Akira was lying in the fur blanket, his arms behind his head as he stared up at the vaulted ceiling, contemplating his entire existence. 

Being a typical god fearing Christian, or at least what the Makimura’s expected of him, combined with his need to protect humanity, he wasn’t sure why he was damned. Perhaps it was Amon’s mark on him, but he didn’t think he had sinned enough to be sent to hell. Though in many ways he knew he was wrong. He had committed a few sins that would now plague him for all eternity.

“Amo--I mean...Akira?” Came a voice suddenly from somewhere in the room. Akira bolted upright from the bed and looked around before a shimmer of light formed in the center of the room and Nike appeared before him. He tensed, once again overtaken by her divine elegance.

“Nike.”

She smiled warmly, “I came to see you.”

“Oh?” He smiled back, still wary of her.

“I wanted to see how you were doing. You seemed shaken up at Dante’s words.”

Akira got off the bed and stood up, “Yeah well...things are weird for me now. I died. I’m damned. And I have to go through a stealth mission to get Amon’s power back. It hasn’t been a great day.”

Nike kept smiling, “I understand. After god ended the demon reign and sentenced us to hell, things were different for me too.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Oh, millions of years. I can’t recall exactly, we don’t have calendars or date books here.” She chuckled. “Since long before the humans existed anyway.”

The reality of just how long his sentence would be set in, and Akira felt another build up of tears in his eyes, but he held back his weakness from her. “I don’t understand. You seem so kind. How are you a demon?”

“Not all demons are barbarians, Akira. Some of us can carry on full conversations without ripping out a throat.” She walked over to him and sat on the bed, her white wings folding into her back. “I use to be different. I use to fight everyday to survive, but after my death and wanderings in hell, I found Dante. He showed me a path of peace, as long as I protected him.”

“Hm.” Akira crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “You seem very attached to a human. What’s his deal?”

“I found him wandering, just like you. The demon mark in him was so powerful, even if he was a mere human, that I couldn’t resist. I want him to get his demon back, so he can save us from the Slum King. He thinks with Amon’s aide, it would be an easy win.”

“Is the King really that powerful?”

She pursed her lips, “Oh yes. Terribly so. No one has ever witnessed a demon so powerful in hell. This is why we need Satan to return to us.” Akira grumbled angrily, and she smiled again. “Don’t worry, we demons are on our own now. You may never see Satan again.”

He glared at her, “Good.”

Nike looked at him for a few seconds, measuring his response and tone, “Do you mean that?”

“He destroyed everything I loved and killed me. Yes, I mean it. Once Dante and I get our demons back, we’ll make quick work of the Slum King ourselves.”

“You seem sure of yourself.”

He shot her a prideful look, “I’ve killed a lot of demons.”

A calm silence passed between them, and for the first time in awhile Akira felt like he were talking to an old friend. In many ways, she reminded him of Miki; soft and gentle, yet strong, and he was suddenly gripped by another wave of sadness as he remembered the last he’d seen of her.

“Nike.” He started, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants, “Could you help me with something?”

“What is it?”

Akira took a deep breath, “I want to see the ninth circle. I want to see the castle.”

She stared at him in confusion, “You will see it tomorrow.”

“No, I want to see it tonight.” He pressured her stubbornly, “Will you take me there?”

Nike stood up, her brow furrowed, “Are you sure?”

“You can protect me, can’t you?”

“Of course, but…” She tried to protest, but his expression was begging. “...Of course I can.”

Hell was dark. And according to Nike, it was always dark. The sun never graced these haunted lands, and Akira wasn’t surprised, although he thought to himself as he was being carried in her arms how much he would give to see the sun one more time. They soared through the skies for what went on for miles. Akira was tempted to make conversation with her, but found himself still too intimidated to socialize with such a powerful demon. As they journeyed closer to the center of hell, Akira could make out the massive castle in the distance. It was something out a fantasy movie--red and black pointed stone, surrounded by a river of fire. It was all very cliche and he wondered why an angel would choose to remain in such a ridiculously ominous place.

“We’ll stop soon.” Nike spoke loud enough for him to hear her through the stream of wind in their faces. “I don’t want to get too close. The Slum King has ways of seeing all.”

“Okay.” He muttered, his eyes still fixed on the fortress as it got closer to them.

Nike gripped him tight, a lingering little smile on her face as she swooped in lower to the ground. Soon she was flapping her wings into a slow stop and they hovered about a mile away from the castle. Although they were far from it, it was big enough to make out every detail of its fearsome presence. Akira stepped down from her arms and stood on the gravel, marveling at the sight. “So tomorrow...how will we get in there?” He asked.

“You can pass through the shield surrounding the castle.”

“How do you know?”

“It works. Dante’s own mark allowed him to pass into places only his demon could venture. The same can be said for you.”

“Then how does Dante survive if I can get in and he can’t?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged, “You can attune him to the energy by passing through while touching him. It was the same with me. All you do is--”

Nike’s words were cut short as she was was shot backwards into a nearby boulder. Akira spun around to see the demon pulling herself from the rock and staggering forward, and his eyes widened when he saw what had attacked her. The white feathered harpy that had once almost stolen his life. 

Silene.

“Nike!” He shouted, suddenly overcome with terror again.

“Run!” Nike shouted back as she unleashed a sphere of light around her body. Silene grinned wildly, stretching her talons, and she lunged. Akira watched helplessly as Nike fired off spears of light at the harpy, all of which she dodged effortlessly, and she struck Nike with a bestial swipe. Nike shrieked when the claws met her flesh, orange blood spraying out and splattering on the dirt below, but she threw out her hand and with another flash of light from her palm a shimmering sword appeared. She swung it at the beast, slicing a piece of her arm, but Silene only spun around and punched her hard.

As the minutes went by, Akira stood frozen in place, too frightened to move and also knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, and he watched as Nike began to fail. Soon she was held up by her throat, and Silene squeezed, popping her head from her torso. It fell with a thud on the dirt, and blood sprayed from her limp, lifeless body.

Akira took a step backward, his jaw dropped and eyes wide with alarm. Silene turned, a gleeful expression on her face. “Akira.” She whispered, licking the blood from her lips.

The wings connected to her face extended and she was flying at him at top speed. Akira had no time to react before he was thrown onto his back underneath her giant hand that pressed the air out of him. They locked eyes and her fangs were bared like a rabid dog. Akira gasped for breath under her talon, unable to speak. For a few moments she kept him like that, as if he were a mouse with his tail caught by a very big cat, until she smiled again and released him. He looked up at her, confused but wary.

Suddenly she was grabbing him with her foot, wrapping her claws around his torso just as she had done when they first met at the brothel, and before he knew it he was taking off in the air again.

Akira watched as the castle got closer. Silene flew them straight through the center, into the mouth, and Akira frantically looked around at the inside as it flew by. Then she released him, throwing him forward into a spinning heap on hard stone floor. The impact made him groan in pain, and for awhile he tried to recover.

“What’s this?” Came a deep and dark voice before him. Akira tensed.

“An intruder.” Silene said with a happy tone.

“Oh?”

Akira heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, and he shook himself free from the pain and looked up.

There, standing at what had to be almost seven feet tall, was a massive hulking creature. He was adorned in black and red samurai armor, complete with an oni mask on his face. His eyes were glowing red through the mask. At his side he dragged a giant black sword. It was him--Akira was sure. The Slum King. He wasn’t exactly what Akira had expected when he envisioned such a powerful demon as Nike had described, but the energy that came off the creature was enough to shake him to his core.

Akira sat up, now alert with crippling fear, and he looked up at this monster. The King suddenly bent down to one knee, the red light of his eyes looking Akira over, “I can smell demon on him.” He growled.

“He carried the soul of Amon, my lord.” Silene said. “A devilman. But now he is just a mere human, free to do with as you like.”

The Slum King reached out with armored fingers and took hold of Akira’s chin, “Amon? Really?” With the mask in place, Akira couldn’t tell what expression he was making, but he understood enough to see that he was getting too close. He pulled his face away defiantly, which was probably a big mistake on his part, but the King gave a low chuckle. “He has a temper.”

Akira couldn’t find the words to speak, and he tried hard to keep his body from trembling. Without the full power of the demon, he had no killing instinct. Nothing to defend himself with. Akira was completely vulnerable and at their mercy.

“I’m sure you can fix that.” Silene hissed, her teeth bared in another wicked smile.

“What are you doing here, boy?” The Slum King asked, ignoring the harpy. Akira was still unable to open his mouth. “I said…” He placed a hand roughly on the back of his head and pulled him forward. Akira cringed. “What are you doing here?”

“I--”

“Searching for Limbo’s Gate?” He asked. Akira froze. “Of course. You halfbreeds are always trying to get your demons back, thinking you have any power here.” His fingers pulled at Akira’s hair. “Perhaps you need to learn what it means to be damned.”

In an instant, Akira was thrown to the floor again, and the Slum King’s hands were on him, tearing at his clothes. Panic overtook him as he realized what was happening and he spat obscenities and curses and whatever he could think of short of begging.

As he struggled, Silene approached them. The Slum King looked up as he positioned himself behind Akira. “What is it, woman?!” He snarled.

“Let me watch.” Her eyes were wide with anticipation. “This one shamed me. Remember, Akira?” He glared at her with the one eye that wasn’t being pressed into the stone. “Back on earth, you took my honor. Now I get to return the favor.”

Akira was squirming wildly again, fighting the inevitable as the powerful hands pulled up his bare hips and mounted him in one quick thrust. He yelled, the pain like nothing he’d ever experienced before, and the fear gripped him so tight he thought he might pass out. Unfortunately he stayed conscious as the animal began thrusting into him mercilessly. Silene’s gaze was fixed on the sight, and she was grinning.

After what seemed like hours, the next thing Akira felt was talons re-wrapping themselves around his body. He was being carried once more, out of the castle and tossed like a rag doll outside onto the dirt. Silene took one last look at his pitiful form before turning and going back into the castle, leaving the boy alone.

Akira’s first instinct was to move. He was still vulnerable. Still without any defense. He tried to move, but as he attempted to shift his hips, a sickening pain took over his senses. His vision was blurred, and his brain was screaming. Eyes welling with tears, his head dropped back into the dirt, and he finally found sweet and merciful sleep.


	3. The Harpy's Scream

“Akira.”

His eyes gently fluttered open to the dim candlelight illuminating the room, and he shifted along the furs beneath him. The last thing he remembered was the feel of dirt under his face, and now he was on his back with a splitting headache and blurred vision.

“Akira!” The voice from above snapped, and Akira’s eyes shot open to see Dante kneeling at his side. He was no longer exposed to the elements of hell, but back in the room Dante had given him at Skull Castle. He blinked and sat up, quickly greeted by the familiar sharp pain in his rear, and he grimaced. 

Then he remembered it all. 

Dante caught the horror in Akira’s expression and he placed a hand on his shoulder, “Easy.”

“Nike--!” Akira started frantically, trying to move again.

“I said settle down. I know about Nike.” Dante said. Feeling a wave of sickness come over him, Akira covered his mouth with his hands and choked, but all that came up was a dry heave. “What the hell were you thinking, Akira?! I told you we were going to wait until the Slum King left the castle!”

“Silene.” Akira’s gaze was fixed on the cracks in the wall, trying hard not to continue mentally feeling those monstrous hands holding him down. “She was guarding the place.”

Dante looked at Akira curiously, “Silene? You mean that crazy bitch is working with him?” Akira grit his teeth together and shut his eyes up tight, unable to keep his mind from replaying the torture. “She must be after something. But why didn’t you wait?!”

Pushing down the nausea that plagued his guts, Akira shrank under Dante’s disappointment. “I don’t know. I just trusted Nike to protect me, and I wanted to see what we were up against.” Dante scowled, but he figured then that perhaps Akira had been punished enough for his ineptitude. Akira turned to look at him, “How did I get here?”

“It doesn’t matter. Now, can you walk? Do you think you could try again?”

Akira was silent, completely affronted by the question, “You want me to go back?”

Dante’s eyes narrowed, “Akira, this is our only chance. You think this is the first time you’ll be raped in hell?! All you have is the demon to protect you, and I’ve waited long enough!”

A pit formed in his stomach. Akira knew he was right, even if the thought of venturing back there filled him with unbearable dread.

“Rest for awhile.” Dante said as he stood up, “Recover. We have to wait for her return, then we’re leaving for the castle.”

“Wait for who?”

“Nike.”

Akira looked at Dante as if he’d sprouted another head, “She’s…”

“This is hell, Akira. Neither humans nor demons die permanently. It’s part of our punishment.” He walked out of the room, leaving Akira alone with his thoughts. Akira stared at the palms of his hands and sulked.

~*~

The room was heavy with the sickly smell of body odor and fetid breath, and the sound of wood repeatedly meeting the wall every second was all that could be heard throughout the empty fortress. He grunted loudly, moving with inhuman strength as he thrust eagerly into the delicate figure beneath him. Soon he was snarling and panting like a wild beast before the inevitable seizing up of his grotesque body, the small creature underneath him limp with exhaustion, and then it was over.

A bit of drool dripped from the edge of the mask and onto soft pale skin, and he chuckled low in his throat, taking a long look at the pitiful sight. Blue eyes were looking up, but not exactly at him anymore, just staring aimlessly into the void.

The Slum King glared at him, “Get in here, woman!”

The door opened and a delicate woman with long white hair walked in, her voluptuous body adorned with black armor. She bowed politely, “Forgive me. I thought you’d want to be alone with him.”

“I don’t mind an audience.” He grumbled as he pulled himself off the bed and got to his feet, adjusting his armor. His victim’s legs were open in an undignified spread, and he knocked them together, “What have you learned?”

“No trace of him. I’ve searched the land for weeks now; he’s gone.”

The King chuckled again, “My dear, this is hell. No one is truly gone. You of all demons should know that.”

She bristled, “With you at the helm of Satan’s castle and commanding his demons, he knows he has no chance. You should be celebrating your victory.”

He nodded at the languished form on the bed, “What do you think I’ve been doing?”

“I meant with your men. Take some of the human filth for your pleasures.”

“Perhaps. This one is beginning to bore me; he doesn’t cry or struggle anymore. No point if they don’t fight back.”

Silene crossed her arms over her chest, “Maybe he’s been broken.”

“Hm.” The Slum King smirked. “I doubt he’s been defeated so easily. Angels are resilient, after all. Now, what about the boy? Will he return here?”

She shook her head, “Not a chance. I’ll be guarding the castle while you’re away. There’s no way Akira will return without facing me, and if he does, I will make slow and painful work of him.”

~*~

He saw her standing before him. So beautiful and strong. Like a princess from a fairy tale; her smile was warm, her eyes bright and full of life. She reached out to him, wanting an embrace. He hesitantly approached her, needing nothing more than to feel her touch again.

But then in a flash he saw her; a bloody, lifeless head on a spike that danced before the burning remains of the house he once called a home. Akira dropped to his knees and wept. 

“Akira?” A soft voice called to him, delicate fingers brushing the side of his face. He opened his eyes with a gasp and saw her, the angelic beauty whom he’d seen perish to the harpy not but a few hours ago.

He sat up, “Nike, I--”   
“Shh.” She smiled. “It’s alright.”

“No.” Akira shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have--”

“Akira.” She cupped the sides of his face. “I’ve died a thousand times in hell. If anything, it makes damnation more interesting. How are you feeling?”

“I could be better.” He admitted.

“Yes. I heard. I’m sorry.” 

He felt the warm pressure welling up in his eyes again, but still refused to show weakness in front of her, “It’s not your fault, I should have stayed here.”

Nike was silent for a few seconds before she stood up, “It’s behind you. Now, we fight back. Can you move?”

Akira threw his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, and it was then that he realized he was wearing a completely fresh set of new clothes, which puzzled him, but he didn’t really care enough to point it out to her. Although the pain was still there, it was much duller than before, and he nodded, “I’m ready.”

~*~

Nike flew low to the ground, examining the terrain carefully as she projected a sphere around the two humans that carried them at her side. Akira felt a little less silly now that she wasn’t carrying him like a child, but it was odd flying through the air with no control. It took some time, but they found their way back to the circle with the castle in close range, and Nike released them from her magical hold. Terrified, Akira looked up at the sky, searching for the demon bitch whom had been responsible for his torment.

“Relax.” Dante said, reassurance in his voice, and he peered out into the distance. “Now let’s move. We should make it to the castle soon. Nike,” The man placed his hand on her shoulder, “Go.”

She nodded and took off into the sky.

“Where’s she going?!” Akira asked in a panic, feeling exposed again.

“She’s taking care of whatever stands between us and the castle, including that flying cunt.” He began walking and Akira quickly followed close behind.

“How do you know Nike won’t die again?”

“She might, but if anything she can buy us enough time to get in and get to Limbo’s Gate. Once we get our demons back we can take Silene out ourselves.”

They walked in silence for awhile. Akira was still filled with dread that they’d be spotted, but he didn’t pester Dante about it, as the man looked too determined to care. “Hey.” He said in practically a whisper, and Dante lifted his head in acknowledgment, “How do you know this will work?”

“It’ll work.”

Akira grimaced, annoyed at his confidence. “Has it worked before?”

“Back when Satan ruled, he would give only the most worthy of the devilmen their demons back. Now that he doesn’t guard the Gate anymore, only those attuned to his domain can reach it.”

“And that’s me?”

“Amon was one of Satan’s most prized demons. You carry enough of his mark to pass through; and it’s why you still look that way.” Dante referred to his post-demon body and face, which still looked exactly as it did when he’d died. “If I didn’t trust that this would work, I would have left you out here.”

Akira’s eyebrow cocked, highly offended but he decided not to dwell on it while they were walking outside with no protection, so he changed the subject, “Did you know Satan?”

Dante paused, “No. That was before my time in hell. But I understand that you knew him quite well?”

“Yeah…” Akira glowered, “He was my best friend. But he--”

“He betrayed you.” Dante interjected. “And all of humanity.”

He stopped walking, “How did you know?” 

Dante didn’t stop, “Satan had brought the apocalypse to earth. All of us could feel it.”

They stayed in silence for awhile. Dante moved fast, and Akira had to take longer strides to keep up. He could tell how eager the man was to complete the mission, though there was still fear in Akira’s heart that they’d be spotted.

Just as he’d thought that, a loud screech ripped through the air. Before Akira could even look up to inspect the noise, Dante was grabbing his wrist and dragging him quickly into a run. “Come on!” He said with urgency. 

Up in the skies, a white feathered form launched herself forward, her talons spread open in a razor sharp threat, straight into Nike’s abdomen. But just as she reached the silk of her robe she was shot backwards with a burst from the light shield. Nike swung the sword, this time meeting Silene’s arm and breaking open the flesh in a bloody gash. She hissed and threw her claws again, “Vermin!” 

“I will admit you got the best of me last time, Silene.” Nike was grinning. “It won’t happen again.” She fired off another round of light from her hands, striking the harpy in the chest and leg and splattering more blood into the wind. Silene staggered in midair before lunging once more at the demon, this time managing to make contact with her shoulder. Her victory didn’t last long as Nike backhanded her across the face, knocking her over and buying Nike enough time to raise her sword again. The blade came down at full force.

Another scream echoed in Akira’s ears, but he kept running behind Dante, his heart racing with terror and anticipation. They made their way to a barely visible red field that stretched high in the sky, over the top of the castle into a massive dome of energy.

Dante turned, “Now listen. All you have to do is touch the field while holding onto me.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all. Now hurry.” He put his hand out for Akira to take, and he hesitantly did before nervously moving toward the wall of energy.

He had no proof this would work. Akira had only just met this lunatic who seemed to lack all emotion but rage, and he knew that there was a strong possibility he was just being used. The energy could easily kill him. Or he’d come face to face with the Slum King again, and who knows what torments would await him then.

But he knew he didn’t have many options anymore.

Reluctantly, Akira lifted his hand and pressed it up into the field, tensing as the warmth enveloped his fingers. His hand passed through, followed by his arm, and he moved slowly through while tightly clutching Dante’s palm, and Dante couldn’t help but hold is breath, showing a small bit of fear as his own hand made contact. Carefully the two of them moved through it until they were standing on the other side. Dante could feel the trembling in Akira’s tight grip, and he placed his other hand on Akira’s with a kind smile, “It’s okay, you can let go. I’ll be fine.”

Akira’s fingers unclamped and he cautiously released him. They looked at each other, feeling accomplished, before Dante started walking again toward the entrance of the castle. Akira followed him closely, still on high alert.

They made it down the path and went inside the enormous opening of the fortress. Dante went in first to make sure they were indeed alone, seeing as how Silene might not have been the only one attuned to the demonic energy, but it appeared it was clear to venture inside. Akira took a look around. It was massive inside, with black stone walls and pillars, but if not for it’s dark appearance it looked like normal gothic architecture.

“How do castles even exist in hell?” Akira asked.

“Satan made all of this himself.”

“What about Skull Castle?”

“He made that too. Now keep quiet and follow me.”

Akira wanted to press the matter further, but he kept his mouth shut and walked on behind Dante, who seemed to be leading him in a set direction down a maze of corridors. They found a high staircase and climbed it. He was moving faster, almost too fast for Akira to keep up. “Hey, slow down!” He called out to him when Dante was too far away, but Dante didn’t stop, only examined the top floor for anything he recognized. Then he broke into a quick sprint, and Akira jumped, “Wait!” Dante stopped in front of a door in the far back corner and pressed his hand against the wood. He tried to turn the knob but it was locked. “Is this it?” Akira asked. “Limbo’s Gate?”

Dante didn’t answer him, only held onto the knob of the door for awhile. Suddenly he pushed sharply and the door broke open. It swung back with a loud thud and Dante walked in. Akira followed him, and his eyes burst wide.   
Lying on the floor, naked and shackled to the wall, was Ryo.

Akira was without words. For all accounts, the blond looked dead, slumped over into a fetal position with his arms pulled back by chains, and various black and blue bruises covering his soft body. He didn’t look like Satan, only the human Akira had known for so many years. Dante grit his teeth and approached the pitiful body on the floor, kneeling down at his side and taking his face in his hands.

“Wait…” Akira whispered, still in awe of what he was seeing. 

Dante wasn’t listening to his whimpers as he inspected Ryo carefully.

Just as the shock turned into confused rage, a loud scream echoed through the castle, and Akira scrambled with alarm. Silene was coming for them.

“Dante!” He blurted in a panic, but then fell silent when his gaze fell on the man, whose eyes were now glowing red, his fangs baring dangerously.

“Hang onto something.”


	4. The Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of combined my headcanons with Mao Dante here, so it may not make sense, but I tried.

Akira stepped back, unsure if what he was seeing was real. Dante grabbed hold of the thick chains on Ryo’s wrists and with one sharp tug they snapped apart. He stood up and backed up a few steps before lifting his arms. Black wings suddenly shot out of his back, causing the tattered remains of his shirt to fall to the floor. Akira froze, his attention now completely off the sound of the demon bitch getting closer. Dante lifted himself into the air, his body hastily growing by the second. Bluish black fur was covering every inch of him. 

He watched in awe as Dante crashed through the roof of the castle, blowing stone outwards and hovering above them like a massive hybrid between man and bat. The creature stood probably a few hundred meters high, it’s eyes glowing red and enormous fangs bared in a frightening display of strength.

Before Akira could react, the beast’s head was diving back into the castle right on top of him. He staggered back and watched as Dante lifted Ryo up in his giant hand, unhinged his jaws, and shoved the boy into his mouth. Akira’s eyes widened in alarm as Dante quickly snatched him up with his free hand just as Silene smashed through the wall at full force. She stopped dead when she saw the giant thing before her.

Akira tensed from being up so high without wings or a shield to protect him, despite how tightly the long fingers were wrapped around his frame. Dante extended his wings and burst into the air, soaring straight through the shield that protected the castle.

Hovering above the destroyed north wall of the fortress, Silene bristled as she watched the demon escape.

Dante flew fast and hard, back west towards the mountains while carrying Akira, who could barely keep up with the speed. He couldn’t really do much but watch as their destination got closer. Dante found a cliff and dropped Akira a few feet onto the rocks, and Akira grunted from the impact. He sat up and watched as the giant creature squatted down and open his mouth, letting Ryo’s limp and damp body slip out into his open palm. Carefully he lowered him to the ground, and his body began to quickly shrink back to his normal form. Akira attempted to stand up as Dante, now human again, lifted Ryo into his arms, and with a flash of light the vortex opened again. Dante began walking through while carrying the unconscious blond, and Akira chased after him.

Once back inside the fortress, Dante’s wings expanded again and he took off down a corridor without a word. Akira followed him on foot, breaking from a stride to a sprint as he tried to keep up. Chasing him down a few hallways, he finally found Dante in a dark room, laying Ryo out onto a bed and covering him with a blanket of black fur. He then proceeded to examine his face and body.

Akira hesitantly approached him, “You lied to me.” He breathed. “You weren’t trying to help me at all, were you?”

“Sit.”

“What?”

“I said sit.” Dante repeated, motioning toward the chair across from him. “I’ll tell you everything.”

Although he was beyond pissed, Akira was also tired. Tired from the search and tired from seeing Ryo again. He knew there wasn’t much he could do to the older man, so he walked over and sat down on the empty chair, his eyes fixed on Dante with a glare that could burn a hole through iron. “First of all, you’re only half right, I do want to find Amon. But my first priority is always to him.” He pointed at Ryo. 

A flush of angry heat rushed to Akira’s face, “Do you know what he’s done?!”

“Murder? Genocide?” He asked with a hint of sarcasm. “Exterminated the human race? Is that what you’re whining about?”

Akira’s eyes widened with shock, “He got my friends and my family killed! He--”

“Stop.” He sighed. “Stop crying over a few human lives lost to war.”

“Then talk!” Akira shouted, bristling with rage. “Tell me why! Why did you risk my damn life just to bring him back?!”   
“I will if you calm down.” He snapped. “Now listen. I am the only one who could free Satan from the Slum King, but I needed you to attune me to the castle first.”

“Does Limbo’s Gate even exist?” Akira growled.

“It does.” Dante admitted. “But only he can activate it. Though it doesn’t look too promising now that he’s been reduced to a mortal human body.”

Akira was confused, “He’s human?”

“As human as you are. He’s got...marks all over him, and isn’t healing. I’m guessing the King got what he wanted.” He scowled.

The anger was still too strong to be outweighed by pity, “So what are you--just a demon? You want to kill humans too?”

Dante looked up, his expression calm, “I do, yes.”

Akira’s heart was racing, his body trembling with rage, “Why?”

“Because of God.” He paused to look at Akira again. “What you know about God is a lie. Put there by the humans who are vessels for his tyranny. I’ve been in hell for over six thousand years, all because of God’s cruelty. Long after He purged the demons, my own human race was born from Adam and Eve, and we evolved rapidly into intelligent and peaceful creatures.”

Akira blinked, utterly lost.

“But,” He continued, “God wanted more. He wanted our bodies and to spread his power into all of us, but we refused, so He sentenced our humanity to death.” Dante smirked, “Except some of us evolved to fight back against His army.”

“The devilmen.” Akira heard himself whisper.

“Exactly.” He smiled approvingly. 

“You were the first?”

“The thing about coming from divine entities like Adam and Eve is that we gained certain powers. And one of them was to communicate with spirits. The demons. They desired revenge on the angels and taught us how to merge with them. But by the time some of us had learned to do so, God had already wiped most of us out, and we were outnumbered. He then sentenced all the devilmen to hell, and kept the weaker humans to begin his new race. Humans that obeyed and feared Him.”

Akira was lost for words, and he took in the mountain of new information slowly. “What the hell are you saying?”

Dante glowered, “God is your enemy, Akira. Not Satan.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s true.”

“Ryo killed everyone.”

“He’s an angel, that’s what they do.” He said, shrugging. “Satan was born from the left hand of God as an archangel, and his only job was to destroy God’s enemies. He was a warrior. But somewhere along the way he must have disagreed with His decisions. He never told me when or why it happened, but he ended up defying God and the angels and fought back, only to be cast out where he came to earth and discovered the demons.”

“And...God killed the demons.” Akira said.

“Correct. Before he came after our human race, God had already committed His own genocide, deciding that the demons were too powerful to control. At least that’s how Satan tells it. God created this eternal prison for them; for all of us. Anyone who defied Him.”

There was a dark silence between them. Akira continued glaring at him, trying to understand but failing miserably. “So...what? You believe that a demon is better than a human?”

Dante smiled, “They’re about the same I’d say. Both cruel and ravenous beasts. However, I’d also say the crimes of humanity could arguably outweigh those of a demon. But the fact remains, God had no right to kill us, and the only way there can be peace is to topple Him.”

Akira put his palms to his forehead and kneaded into the skin, feeling a headache coming on, “But why kill the humans?! They’re innocent!”

“True.” Dante nodded, looking back at the sleeping blond. “Perhaps that’s why Satan failed.”

“What are you talking about? He won.”

Dante shook his head, “God still exists, and He’s still in power. As long as He lives, we will never be free. Satan didn’t understand this though. Perhaps he figured he could win if he just took out the humans and maybe God would back down. It was naive of him. The truth is in order to win, we need to stop God himself.”

Akira stared blankly at him, “You’re crazy.”

“And you’re still plagued with that ugly human heart.” He smirked.

The two of them were interrupted when the furs shifted. Akira tensed for a few seconds until he was certain Ryo was still asleep, then continued glowering at Dante.

“What happened to him?” He asked.

Dante took a long, lingering look at Ryo and sighed, “I’m guessing whatever the King could think of. You’re lucky you still have your skin, Fudo, because you only knew a fraction of his cruelties.”    
“Whatever.” He shifted in his chair and glared at Ryo’s unconscious form. “What are you? Are you really a devilman, or are you just a demon?”

Dante chuckled and shrugged, “I’m not even sure anymore. I use to have that kind heart of yours, and it got me nothing but trouble in here. But I suppose over time I lost it to the madness and chaos of hell. I am the Demon King Dante.”

“Demon King?”

He shot Akira a prideful grin, “Commander of hell’s army and lord of all demonkind. At least that was me, before the Slum King took over.”

“Wait,” The painful pounding in his head was starting to spread, “Isn’t that him?” He pointed at Ryo.

“Satan is at the top of our pyramid, Akira. He rules all of hell, and appointed only some of us to run things under his watch. Actually, you--”

Another shift of the furs, and both of them looked over to see Ryo’s eyes half open and looking directly at Akira.  Both of them froze with alarm as he lifted his head and peered around the room.

“Welcome back.” Dante said with a smile. Ryo glared at him and sat up without a word, leaving the fur covering his naked body as best he could. An awkward silence passed, and Dante tipped his head. “Are you okay?”

No answer, just more glaring.

Akira was still tense, his eyes fixed on his enemy, even though he knew with Dante here he knew it was fruitless to go for an attack.

The silence peaked Dante’s interest, and he moved down to Ryo’s level, taking hold of his face. Ryo didn’t struggle, and he opened his mouth.

“Dammit.” Dante hissed.

“What?” Akira asked through grit teeth.

“His tongue. It’s been cut out.” He released him. “Shit.”

The human suddenly felt sick with anger and disgust, but he hid it while looking Ryo over. There were bruises and cuts covering his body, something that indicated exactly what kind of torment he’d suffered at the Slum King’s hands. Something Akira was familiar with too, though he dismissed whatever sympathy that stirred within him.

“Stand up.” Dante said as he rose from the chair, and Ryo reluctantly followed him, dropping the furs to the floor and leaving himself exposed. He placed his hands on Ryo’s shoulders and before Akira’s eyes clothing formed over his body. Suddenly he was fully dressed.

“How--?!”

“Relax.” Dante shot him a cold stare from the corner of his eyes before turning his attention back to Ryo. “I can do a few things other demons can’t. It’s nothing to panic over. Now,” He brushed the hair from Ryo’s eyes, “You can communicate through basic body language, I trust?” Ryo nodded. “Good. We need to activate Limbo’s Gate and retrieve Amon’s power for Akira. Do you think you can do it?”

Ryo dropped his gaze and shrugged, still avoiding Akira’s eyes.

Dante pursed his lips, “Do you have any power left at all?” Ryo didn’t look up. “Damn.”

“What does that mean?” Akira asked, slightly nervous.

“It means we might be screwed.”

“My lord!” Came a voice from the hall, and they all turned to see Nike flying into the room at full speed. 

Dante looked confused, “You’re alive?” He pushed past Akira to meet her half way. 

“My lord, the Slum King has returned to his castle...he’s just destroyed Limbo’s Gate!”

The room went dead silent and a chill went down all of their spines. Akira turned his attention from Ryo to the woman, his expression full of disbelief, and Dante swallowed dryly.

“How the hell do you know?!” Akira approached her.   
“I felt it when I was just outside. The link is gone...”

There was another wave of dread. “How is that possible?” Dante wondered aloud. “Limbo’s Gate is divine. One demon can’t just…” He shook his head and sighed before turning back to Akira, who could read the sullen look on his face easily. It was over.

~*~

The four of them stayed huddled together for awhile, quietly contemplating their next move, even though it all looked bleak. Akira’s attention was fully on Ryo, his gaze burning hot, but Ryo continued ignoring him. Nike had placed herself between them.

Dante had his back to the wall, his arms crossed over his chest while he remained in deep thought. “What if,” He started, looking over at Nike, “We find Zenon. The two of us have our differences but--”

“You know that no one has seen Zenon since Satan’s fall.” Nike remarked.

He grit his teeth, “Fine. I’m going out there. I’ll find a demon that can help us take down the King.” Ryo sat up, his eyes widening with alarm. Dante walked out of the room, and Nike chased after him while stammering protests, leaving Akira alone with Ryo.

Akira waited until he couldn’t hear them anymore before he turned his attention back on Ryo.

A few tense seconds went by before Akira flung his hand forward and took hold of Ryo’s shirt, pulling him forward. Ryo flinched as he met Akira’s clenched jaw and fiery eyes up close, and they stared each other down. Ryo could feel the pure hate that radiated from the boy he once called a friend, and even through his defiant expression he felt fear.

But even through all of it, all the betrayal and every life lost to his divine war, Akira found himself suddenly tired again. Tired of all the bullshit and all the drama from his current situation. He relaxed and released him with a sharp shove. Ryo blinked, unsure of what was happening. Though the red hot stare was still there, Akira felt something for the blond he never imagined he’d feel again.

Sympathy.

And he hated himself for it.

“You deserve it.” Akira growled. “You deserve it all.”

Nike came back into the room, half expecting to find a fight but was surprised to see them both glaring at one another. She was relieved.

“Akira?” She approached him. He turned his head. “Can I speak with you in private?” He finished his stare down with Ryo and stood up. She smiled and motioned for him to follow her, which he did. Ryo watched him leave with her, his eyes narrowing. They walked down the hall together, “Akira, do you have any of Amon’s memories?”

Akira shook his head, “I don’t think so.”

“So you don’t remember me?”

He stopped, “No...?”

She gave him an awkward smile, “Oh, I see.”

“Why?” He asked, “Who were you to Amon?”

Nike shook her head and continued walking, “It doesn’t matter.” Akira reached out and took hold of her wrist. She stopped again and looked at him, seeing the curiosity on his face. It was a dangerous move to grab her, he knew that much, but he felt different around her. She was different. “Silene and I...we have our differences.” She said quietly. “We always have. I don’t even think you know yet, but she I belonged to Amon.”

“Belonged?”

“His consorts.”

Akira’s eyes blew open with shock, “You were--”

“But after he left hell to merge with you, I suppose Silene became jealous. I’m not sure why she’s so full of hate. Perhaps she just misses Amon and felt betrayed.”

He was silent for awhile, contemplating her words. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Did you feel betrayed too?”

Nike was still smiling, though her eyes sparkled with tears, “It was his duty to Satan. I accepted it. Sometimes…” She reached up and placed her hand on his shoulder, “You have to learn to forgive the ones you love.”


End file.
